Want to gauge the true pulse of an organization? Talk to its Chiefs of Staff and BizOps leads. They see the business end to end, warts and all — from strategic direction and pain points to untapped opportunities and top-tier talent. It’s no surprise that many top founders once sat in these very seats. And yet, this pipeline remains underappreciated — and often misunderstood.

That’s why we created The Ops Exchange, a closed-door forum for Chiefs of Staff and BizOps leads at premier VC-backed startups. Built on confidentiality and candor, it’s a space where operators can hear about the real playbook for moving from running point to running the company.

At our first Chiefs of Staff & BizOps Gathering at BCV, held this fall in San Francisco, our handpicked panel of experts traded tips for how to go from doing the job in front of you to setting yourself up for what’s next. For attendees, it was a time machine for career acceleration. For us, it was proof that our younger selves would have vied for a seat — not a summary.

Here are our top five takeaways from The Ops Exchange panel:

1. Breadth is a weapon, not a weakness

Here’s a myth: If you’re comfortable in a support role, you’re not cut out to lead. The reality is that founders need to do it all — and operations leaders already have. You know how products connect to finance, marketing to operations, and people to outcomes. Being a generalist isn’t your Achilles’ heel. It’s your competitive advantage.

And here’s another myth: You have to be an engineer to be a founder. Chiefs of Staff and BizOps leads can go on to make excellent founders because they’ve practiced and honed big-picture thinking that maps closely to what founders do every day.

2. Ambiguity does not have to mean anxiety

The Chief of Staff role is famously hard to define. It looks different at every company, and that’s the point. But don’t let that ambiguity become anxiety about your career trajectory.

The best operators thrive in the gray. If you deliver meaningful operating wins, people notice and opportunities follow. Worrying about getting credit for your hard work or what the title actually means is wasted energy — and it shouldn’t keep you from taking or embracing the role. Use the flexibility of the position to create visible outcomes, and let those outcomes carry you forward.

3. Learn to wield influence rather than power

Few roles demand as much impact with as little formal authority as Chief of Staff or BizOps lead. You’re expected to deliver big results without a team or title to lean on. That makes your role a proving ground for influence — leading through alignment, trust, and a proven ability to get things done.

Influence means that people will choose to follow your lead because you’ve done the homework, framed the choice clearly, and made the next step easy. Do that consistently and trust will collect around you — first for projects, then for teams, then for budgets and results. Power is positional, but influence is earned. And it’s a skill that can carry you successfully into founding something new.

4. A strong peer network is a force multiplier

It’s a universal truth that your network is everything. It’s a resource for learning from others, overcoming bias, and building confidence alongside people who can help you level up. Great mentors can provide the runway you need to grow, while great peers offer the validation and support you need to run with it.

In a focused group like The Ops Exchange, you hear experiences that resonate with your own — and quiet the “Am I doing this correctly?” loop to show you where to look next. Those relationships compound over time, opening doors you didn’t know were there. No matter where you are in your professional trajectory, you can build the network now for the career you want later.

5. Run to the fires, not away from them

Sometimes, the fastest growth lives in the messiest work — broken processes, problems no one owns, failing projects. Fixing these real issues gives you the visibility and the confidence to take on bigger roles.

So raise your hand for the ugly project. Ask to own that problem end to end. Take every opportunity to work with the smartest people and tackle new challenges. And don’t make waiting your turn a career plan. Move toward the hard stuff and put yourself in the rooms where the bar is high. 

Why you had to be there

Our first Ops Exchange conversation featured candid and powerful stories from people who’ve done the job — and, in some cases, gone on to lead companies. It’s rare to find a room where the experience is that relatable and the lessons are that practical. For many attendees, it replaced “Am I on the right path?” with “I’m building the right muscles for what comes next.”